A new breakdown has further complicated the already critical electrical situation in Cuba, leaving thousands of Cubans in Villa Clara trapped in uncertainty and darkness following the recent collapse of the National Electric Power System (SEN).
The failure occurred along a section of the 110 KV line in the La Lima area of Manicaragua, which led to the shutdown of the "Robustiano León" hydroelectric plant in Hanabanilla, a key component for stabilizing the system in the central part of the country. The interruption weakened the fragile microsystem that was just starting to recover after the massive blackout recorded on Saturday afternoon.
"We do not know the extent of the problem," initially acknowledged Yadier Ruiz, director of the Cargo Office in the province, as teams were being dispatched to the site to try to contain the situation.
Hours later, authorities confirmed that the damage is extensive: a metal structure collapsed after the supports that held it fell. Although they claim to have the resources to repair the damage, recovery will not be immediate.
Meanwhile, the reality for the residents is becoming increasingly harsh. By mid-morning this Sunday, only 58 of the more than 200 circuits in Villa Clara had electrical service. Later, the situation worsened: only 49 circuits were operational, despite a slight increase in available generation.
The instability is such that even areas where electricity had been restored are back in the dark. “For the moment, we will not be able to rotate circuits,” warned Ruiz, making it clear that there are no guarantees even for those who had regained service.
Entire municipalities like Ranchuelo and Santo Domingo remain completely without power since the collapse of the national electric grid, and so far it has not been possible to restore their supply.
The situation did not only affect that province. According to the Cienfuegos Electric Company, the breakdown damaged the entire central subsystem, causing disconnections of circuits that were already operational. In other words, areas that had regained electricity were plunged back into darkness.
At 8:20 in the morning, the Santa Clara-Cienfuegos-Matanzas subsystem was operating with the generation from Hanabanilla, the Céspedes thermoelectric plant, and Energás Boca de Jaruco. However, the incident destabilized that precarious balance and forced a setback in the restoration process.
The Hanabanilla hydroelectric plant is essential in this scenario because it helps regulate the frequency of the system and prevent further collapses. Its shutdown complicates the already slow and delicate reconnection strategy based on microsystems, which aims to restore service in phases across the country.
This new setback comes amid one of the worst energy crises that Cuba has faced in decades. On Saturday, the island experienced its second total blackout in less than a week, following a complete disconnection from the SEN that left much of the country without electricity.
The authorities have warned that recovery will be slow. In many provinces, especially in the east, only small electrical "islands" designed for basic services like hospitals and water supply are operational.
The hope for improvement now depends on the start-up of several thermoelectric plants, including the Antonio Guiteras in Matanzas and Unit 4 of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes in Cienfuegos. However, for thousands of Cubans who have been without electricity for days, the technical promises contrast sharply with a reality marked by prolonged blackouts, heat, food at risk, and an increasingly difficult daily routine to maintain.
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